pierce



(No Model.)

0.0.PIERCE.

NEST FOR. FOWLS.

No. 370,407. Patented Sept. 27, 1887.

N. PETERS. Phuxininw n mn'wnhingm LL'c,

PATENT FFICEa CHRISTOPHER G. PIERCE, OF HERKIMER, NEW YORK.

NEST FOR FOWLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,407, dated September 27, 1887.

Application filed April 9, 1887. Serial No. 234,281. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, CHRISTOPHER C. PIERCE, of Herkimer, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Nests, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to nests for fowls; and it consists in a novel construction of the same, and particularly of the devices for supporting the movable nest-egg.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nest constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, avertical central sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 a detail view illustrating the construction of the pendulous support of a nest-egg.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a box or casing,which may be made of wood or metal, and of circular or other desired form in crosssection.

WVithin the box or casing A,wl1ich is open at its upper end, is secured a concave shelf, B, which forms the nest proper, said shelf being provided with a central opening, 0, as shown in Fig. 2, the said opening being of such size as to permit an egg to pass freely therethrough. This shelf B. may be of wood and fastened securely in place within the box or casing A, and the interior of the box and the concave faceof the shelf may, and preferably will be, lined with any suitable material which will make the nest soft and warm.

. D indicates the bottom, which is secured in the lower end of the box or casing A, as shown in Fig. 2, said bottom being conical or convex on its upper side and set away a distance from the under side of the shelf B. The upper surface of the bottom D will preferably be padded or lined with somesoft material, so that as the eggs fall through the opening 0 onto the bottom D they will not become broken. An opening, E, is formed in the wall of the casing A, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom of said open- I ing being a little above the lower edge of the upper surface of the bottom D, so that the eggs cannot roll out through the opening E. The opening E permits the eggs to be withdrawn from the box or casingat will, and also permits the dirt to be removed ,and the nest thereby kept clean.

It may be found desirable in some instances to provide the opening E with a laterally swinging door, F, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 and by full lines in Fig. 2.

G indicates the nest-egg, which is carried at the upper end of a rod, H, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This rod Hproj ects upwardly through the opening 0 in the shelf B,and also'projects downwardly through the bottom D,where itis furnished with a counter-weight, I, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The rod H is threaded at its upper end and screws into the nest-egg G, which latter may be made of wood or other suitable material, and it is obvious that instead of screwing the rod H into the nest-egg any other suitable means may be employed for connecting the egg with its supporting rod or stem. At a point between its ends the rod or stem II is provided with an enlargement, J, which will preferably be spherical,and which fits within a socket in the upper end or apex of the conical bottom D.

Below the apex, where the enlargement J rests upon the bottom D, the latter is cut away to permit free movement of the rod or stem. The weight I tends always to keep the nesteggG in proper position over the central opening, 0, and if moved from its normal position it will be returned by the weight. egg islaid,it rolls beneath the nest-egg G, and, striking againstthe upper endof stem H,swings said stem sufficiently to one side to permit the egg to pass through the central opening,O,and fall upon the bottom D, and as soon as the egg has passed through the opening the weight returns the nest-egg to its normal position over the central opening.

From the foregoing construction it will be seen that I possess a nest that is simple and cheap, one that is easily kept clean, and which prevents the eggs from becoming broken.

Various modifications in the manner of pivoting or suspending the nest-egg will suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic; but,believing myself to be the first to provide a nest with a pendulous support for the nest-egg, I claim such idea broadly, regardless of the specific means by which the resultis secured.

It is obvious that instead of making the top of the bottom piece, D, conical, it may consist simply of a flat board which shall incline downward toward the opening E, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

It is not essential that the opening 0 be lo- WVhen an eated directly in the center of the shelf B, or that the lattergbe made concave; but the best results are secured where both of these features are employed. 5 Having thus described my invention, what --I claim is 1. In combination with abox or casing and a shelf, as 13, provided with an opening, a nestegg, and a movable support for said egg, all substantially as shown.

2. In combination with the box or casing A, the shelf B, provided with a central opening,, and a pendulous rod or support carrying at its upper end a nest-egg and projecting upwardly through the opening in the shelf, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with box or casing A,concave shelf B, provided with opening 0, a bottom board, D, an upright stem, H, projecting upwardly through the opening 0, and provided immediately above said opening with a nestegg.

4. In combination with box or easing A and shelf )3, provided with opening 0, pendulous 25 rod H, projecting upwardly through the opening and provided above the latter with a nestegg, G, and weight I, secured to the lower end of the rod H, substantially as shown and described.

5. In combination with box or casing A and 0 shelf B, provided with an opening, 0, a rod, H, provided at opposite ends with a nest-egg and a counter-weight,a spherical enlargement, J, formed upon said rod between its ends, and a support or socket to receive the spherical enlargement, all substantially as shown.

6. The hereir'rdescribed nest for fowls,consisting of box or casing A, concave shelf B, provided with a central opening, 0, conical bottom 'D, opening E, and door F,upright stem H, provided at opposite ends with a nest-egg and a weight, and at a'point between its ends with a spherical enlargement to rest upon the bottom D.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand 5 in the presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER O. PIERCE. Witnesses:

WM. B. HOWELL, W. B. PIERCE. 

